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May 29, 2018

The Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman here today approved acquisitions worth over Rs 6900 crore,
including thermal imaging night sights for rocket launchers used by the
Army and Indian Air Force. The DAC accorded Acceptance of Neccessity
(AON) for two programs. An AON is the first step towards procuring a
defence equipment.

A defence ministry statement reads that while
focussing on indigenisation, the “DAC approved the procurement of
Thermal Imaging (TI) night sights for a rocket launcher used by the army
and air force under the ‘Buy (Indian) IDDM’ category through
established Indian vendors.”

The Buy (Indian-IDDM) category of
the defence procurement procedure refers to the procurement of products
from an Indian vendor meeting one out of two conditions. First, the
products that have been indigenously designed, developed and
manufactured with a minimum of 40 per cent Indigenous Content (IC) on
cost basis of the total contract value. Second, products having 60 per
cent IC on cost basis of the total contract value, which may not have
been designed and developed indigenously.

The TI sight for the
84mm rocket launcher will be used by troops in operations to facilitate
accurate and continuous engagement of moving and static enemy targets
and destruction of bunkers during complete darkness.

“The sight
will enable troops to detect and recognize the movement of enemy tanks
and soldiers during night and engage them with greater efficiency,” said
the ministry.

Even, the effect of camouflage will be
drastically reduced. “The RL detachments will be able to ascertain the
location of the enemy taking cover behind foliage and thin walled
constructions with greater ease,” the ministry added.

The DAC
also gave approval for undertaking Design and Development of the Long
Range Dual Band Infrared Imaging Search and Track System (IRST) for
SU-30 MKI aircraft under ‘Make II’ sub category. The approval is also
for the procurement of at least 100 IRSTs under ‘Buy (Indian–IDDM)
category. The system will be able to operate in day and night conditions
and will substantially enhance the capabilities of the aircraft.

The
ministry added that in the last eight months the DAC has given
approvals for procurement of equipment worth about Rs 43,844 crore. Out
of this, Rs 32,253 crore would be made in India.